Immunohistochemical evaluation of ProEx C in human papillomavirus-induced lesions of the cervix.
OBJECTIVE
Considering the sparse information about the clinical utility of the novel immunohistochemical marker ProEx C in histological sections, a decision was taken to study the pattern of ProEx C expression in normal/benign cervical epithelium (N/B), low-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion (LGSIL) and high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion (HGSIL), as well as the association of ProEx C expression with human papillomavirus (HPV) genotypes.


METHODS
100 cervical samples, including 21 N/B cervices, 16 LGSILs, 61 HGSILs and two cervical invasive carcinomas, were obtained from conisation and hysterectomy. Surgical specimens were arranged in three tissue microarrays and stained for ProEx C. Ninety-three samples were HPV genotyped. Genotyping was performed by DNA amplification and hybridisation with genotype-specific probes on a low-density DNA array.


RESULTS
ProEx C-positive expression in more than the lower third of the epithelium was observed in 14.3% of N/B, 62.5% of LGSIL and 90.2% of HGSIL. Seventy percent of HPV positivity was found in cases with expression in more than the lower third of the epithelium. Of 31 cases that were positive for HPV16, 16.1% showed ProEx C expression restricted to one or two basal layers, and 83.9% showed ProEx C expression in more than the lower third of the epithelium.


CONCLUSIONS
ProEx C is significantly associated with HPV16 infection and is a useful adjunct in the identification of LGSIL and HGSIL in histological sections when expressed in more than the lower third of the epithelium.
Conesa-Zamora
P
P
Grupo de Patología Molecular y Farmacogenética, Hospital Universitario Santa María del Rosell, Cartagena, Spain. pablo.conesa@carm.es
Doménech-Peris
A
A
Ortiz-Reina
S
S
Orantes-Casado
F J
FJ
Acosta-Ortega
J
J
García-Solano
J
J
Pérez-Guillermo
M
M
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000378:metabolism; D002584:Cervix Uteri / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D005838:Genotype; D052162:Human papillomavirus 16 / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006801:Humans; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques / Q000379:methods; D007202:Indicators and Reagents; D027383:Papillomaviridae / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D030361:Papillomavirus Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000821:virology; D011230:Precancerous Conditions / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology; D046888:Tissue Array Analysis; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology; D002578:Uterine Cervical Dysplasia / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D007202:Indicators and Reagents